Letter to the Editor: Rights vs. responsibilities

I have a suggestion for the Democratic Party and its members in terms of what its “message” and campaign slogan/theme should be for the 2018 and 2020 elections because I believe that it is a “winning” message.

Back in 1987, I heard Bill Clinton give a speech in which he said something that I really agreed with and liked a lot.

I thought that it would have a lot of appeal to many Democrats as well as to many “moderates,” “independents,” and people “in the middle” of the political spectrum.

What he said was that “People have RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES.”

He said that Democrats seem to focus too heavily on their “rights” and seem to believe that they shouldn’t and don’t have any “responsibilities.”

He said that Republicans seem to focus too heavily on their “responsibilities” and seem to believe that they shouldn’t and don’t have any “rights.”

He said that Democrats should say that the federal government should help people who struggle economically and financially and that in return for that assistance/help people need to lead responsible and productive lifestyles. That includes giving something back to the country and taxpayers even if that only means doing volunteer work if they can’t find a job (IF they are capable of doing either and under the age of 65). This is what Canada tends to do and what almost all of our western European allies and countries do to help their citizens more than we do.

Sincerely,

Stewart B. Epstein

Rochester, New York

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